Target placing and shifting apparatus.



W. I. THOMPSON.

TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED luLv 24. 1914.

W. l. THOMPSON.

TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1914.

lrus l @ALLEY TARGET 25 W A 4 l @mij/gam@ A FL/WMM? v owmeyo W. l. THOMPSON. TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

1,157,342. APPLICATTON FILED JULY 24, 19H. Patented 7 SMITS-SHEET 3.

W. I. THOMPSON. TARGET -PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1914.

TLC 4760 V f1 777077119071 W 2f/WMM@ W. l. THOMPSON.

TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 24. |914. 1,157,342, Patented 001.1211915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

w @Zm- @$5021 E JO' ffecvs'es: 777 om jorweyw W. l. THOMPSON. TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. I9I4. 1,157,342. Patented 001.19, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

L I. y (Je nesses: l @(9 y 97 mven w. THOMPSON.

TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1914.

.hm :w 1. r .....m @M2M Mm my w Maza@ zg @my V rifle ranges,

- paratus being controlled entirely from the tors being -on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and a side view of vright of Fig. 3c represents a View' similar to Fig. 3",

UNTTED STATES vfHYFElbTT OFFICE.

STONEHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIBD-TO J' LUX, BOTH OF WOBURN, MASSA- WILLIAM I. THOMPSON, 0F

ANTHONY M. LUX .AND ONE-THIRD TO WALTER CHUSETTS.

TARGET PLACING AND SHIFTING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

Application led July 24, 1914. Serial No. 852,968.

1,157,342. Specification of Letters Patent.

a portion of Fig. 6, parts being shown in section. Fig. 9 represents a section on line 9-9 `of Fig. 1, and an elevation of parts at the left of said line. Figs. 10 and 11 are elevations of opposite sides of a portion o the apparatus. Fig. 10aL represents a top view of the portion shown by Fig. 11. Fig. 12 represents atop view of tl 1 e carrier. Fig. 13 represents a side view of the carrier. Fig. 14 represents a side View of a portion of the carrier. Fig. 15 represents a section on line 15-15 of Fig. 12. Fig. 16 represents a bottom view of the carrier. Fig. 17 represents a section on line Fig. 18 represents a section on line 18--18 of Fig. 4., Fig. 19 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 3. Fig. 20 represents a section on line 20-20 of Fig. 19. Fig. 21 is a sectional view of the chute which receives the retrieved targets. Fig. 22 is a View similar to Fig. 21

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM I. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, and resident ofStoneham, in the county of 'ddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target Placing and Shifting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to targets used for practice with rifles and other fire arms held by the marksman, and particularly to targets used in armories, shooting galleries,

and the like, in shooting competitions, a considerable number of targets being used duringjeachv competition. A

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus enabling the members of a series or pack of targets, stored at a target station or bulkhead, to be automatically and accurately placed 'successively-in position to be fired upon, and automatically removed from said position and retrieved, or carrie to the firing station for inspection,- the apshowlng only the lower end of the chute with the target shown in a different position.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The opposite end portions of a rifle range are shown by Fig. 1, in which a, indicates the `firing station, and b the target station wherea target 12 (Fig. 3) is held in position for use. At the target station is a target magazine 13 (Figs. 3 and 4) containing a pack of loose paper targets 12, means being provided for feeding the targets one at a time downwardly from the magazine between target-liftingv grippers (Figs. 3, 3b and 3), each composed of an inner jaw 14 attached -to a sprocket chain 15, and a swinging outer .jaw 14a. .The chains 15 run in fixed vertical guides 16, (Fig. 3), there being two chains andv two pairs of guides, and are driven by sprocket-wheels 17, the shafts 18 of which gears 19, 19, with a transverse motor drivenmain driving shaft 20. 21 represents a reversible induction motor of standard type, adapted to be rotated by reversing the polarity of the current which rotates the .armature of the motor. 1`he motor shaft 22 is connected by sprocketvwheels and a sprocket chain 23 with a shaft 24 which is connected by a small gear 25 and a large gear 26 (@Fig. 4) with the-main driving shaft 20.

When the apparatus is ready for use, the lifting grippers are firing station, so that'there is no occasion for the presence of any person at the target station during the competition, danger of accidental shooting of any of the competitherefore eliminated, and the time required to place and remove each target being reduced to the minimum.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will` now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-Figure 1 represents a sideview of anV apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and a side view of that part ofthe apparatus seen at the left of said line. Fig. 3 represents a section that part of the apparatus shown at the said line. Fig.' 3aL represents a side view of one of the target-lifting grippers. Fig. 3b represents a section on line 3"-3b of Fig. 3a, and an end, view of said gripper.

showing the gripper opened. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6represents a side elevation lof a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 7 represents a top view of a part of the structure shown by Fig. 6 f Fig. 8 represents an enlargement of 17-17 of Fig. 6.

are connected by bevel y in diierent directions ing-,fingers v yieldjngly hole the guides a. target 12, which is in position for use. When a shot has been fired rent through it by a circuit closer, such as thr ee point switch 27 (Fig. 1) at the station a, the polarity of the current being such as to cause the lifting-grippers to rise and lift the target to the carrier gripper hereinafter described, which carries the used target to the firing station. As the liftinggrippers approach the upper end of their movement, the swinging jaws. 14a encounter vertical gripper-opening lingers 28 (Figs. 10vand 11) which open the lifting-grippers to release the raised target by swinging thev jaws 14a outwardly, as shown by Fig. 3. The fingers 28 are attached to arms 29 pivoted at 30 to swing horizontally. The swinging gripper jaws are vprovided with sockets 14b (Fig. 3b) which receive the iingers 28 when the grippers approach the upper extreme of their movement. The nj outwardly by levers 3l (Figs. 10 and l1) pivoted at 32 to fixed supports and projecting into the paths ofthe lifting-grippers.' When the jaws 14 of the inggrippers encounter the levers 31, saidlevers are swung upwardly and act through connecting rods 33, rocking levers 34, vrods 35, bell-.crank levers 36, links 37, and swinging levers 38, to swing 28 outwardly, thus swinging the v outwardly and opening the liftinggrippers. The swinging gripper jaws 14a are held open during their subsequent downward movement by ears 39 on said jaws engaging the guides 16, as shown by Fig. 3, where one ofthe guides is shown by dotted The guides 16 are provided at their lower portions with openings 135 (Figs. 3 and 19) and at' their upper portions with openings 135a (Fig. 10), the lower openings 135 being arranged to permit the jaw ears 39 to swing outwardly out ofthe guides 16 when the target grippers re"ach the lower extreme of theirmovement, while the upper openings 135a are arranged to permit sai to swing inwardly into the guides 16 en the grippers reach \the upper eXtreme of their movement. Springs-136 (Figs. 3a and 19) connected with the gripper jaws, act to swing said ears outwardly out of the guides 16 when they reach the lower openings 135. The shifting fingers 28 act to swing said ears inwardly when they reach the upper. openings 135, as above stated. Movable stops or guides 5 (Figs. 9 and 10) are located in theV upper openings 135B and are supported by rods 6' movable in fixed guides 7, 8. Springs 9 on said rods, bearing on the guide 8 and on shoulders o'n the rods'6,

position shown by Figs. 9 and 10. When the ears 39k are swung inwardly by the shiftfrom the station a the motor 2 1 is started by closing the cur- 4o (rig. 9) with on tracks 51,

the shift- 5 in the projected1 station 6,' the gripper jaws 52 being ing fingers they strike the movable 5` and displace 'or retract the same. After the ears have passed inwardly through ings 135a the guides 5 spring forward behind the ears and prevent them from being forced by the springs 136 outwardly out of the guides 16.

One ofthe levers 31 is connected by a rod one end of a walking-beam 41 plvoted at 42 to a xed support. The opposite end of said walking-beam engages and actuates a plunger 43 w 'ch opens the carrier gripper hereinafter described, and also engages and actuates a lever 44-pivoted at 45 to alixed support. To said lever is pivoted a strut 46 which engages andmoves the plunger 4 operating a three point switch whichacts in conjunction with the polarity switch, hereinafter described, to close the circuit through two trolley rails 47a supported by a T-shap'ed track 48A (Fig. 17 extending from the target station to the firing station, said trolley rails`-` being thus energized and transmitting current to a standard reversible induction motor 49 at-y tached to a wheeled carrier 50 which runs (Fig. 17 extending between the stations a an b.

The function of the carrier is to carry a target-transferring gripper between the stations a and b, said gripper being composed of jaws 52, 52 pivoted at 53 to the frame of the carrier. traction wheels 54, 55 running on the tracks 51, the wheels 55 being idle, and the wheels 54 Aconnected with the motor 49 by suitable train of gearing, such as that shown by Fig. 15, said train includingv gears 56 attached to the shafts of the wheels 54, and a worm 57 on the motor shaft 58. The carrier is provided with pivoted trolley arms or brushes 59, (Figs. 12 and 17) which are held in rails 47a and are 1n circuit with 49, so that when the circuit is stated, the motor is energized.

The transferring gripper jaws are normally. held open, as shown by dottedlines the motor closed, as

the open- The carrier is provided with yielding contact with the trolley (Fig. 15),'by a leaf spring 60, attached at 15) attached Vto the arm portions of said jaws. To the rods 65 are attached arms 66,

68 to the 67. The arm 67 is pivoted at notched rod 62. The arm 66' is connected with the arm 67 by a link 69, and has a slot 70 which permits it to oscillate and move endwise on a fixed rod 71.

When the carrier is at rest at the open, the -jaws are closed by mechanism 'provided and a notched rod 62V slidable in i izo target l ixd- - the firing station,

forthat purpose, a cross-bar 72 in the path of said plunger and supported by the longer arms of bellcrank levers 73 (Fi 13) pivoted at 74 t0 the carrier frame, links f7 5 pivoted to the shorter arms of said levers, levers 76 pivoted at 77 to the carrierirame, and links 78 connecting the levers 76 with the gripper jaws 52.

When the plunger 43 'is depressed, it depresses the cross-bar 7 2 which acts through the connections last described to close lthe gripper jaws 52 on the upper edge of a target 12 previously interposed between said jaws while they were opened. The closing movement of the jaw. to which the arm 66 is pivoted, causes said arm to impart an endwise movement tothe notched rod 62 in the direction of the arrow, (Fig. 15). Said rod has a rack 80 (Fig. 15) meshing with a pinion 81 on a shaft 82 journaled in the carrier trame, and carrying a polarity switch 83 which is thus moved to position to close the circuit through 'the trolley rails 47a and cause the carrier to travel toward the firing station. The notched 'rod 62 forms a part of mechanism for opening the jaws 52 and releasing the target Vwhen the firing station. Said mechanism includes a lever 85 (Fig. 16) pivoted at 86 to the carrier frame and projecting obliquely therefrom to come in contact with a fixed'shoe 87, shown by dotted lines (Figs. 1 and 16) near the lever being provided with a trundle roll 88, adapted to run in frictionless contact with the shoe, which is provided with an oblique` face 87a adapted to force the outer end of the lever 85 inwardly when the carrier approaches the liring station. The lever acts through a rod-89 (Fig. 16) pivoted at 90to its inner end, a rocking lever 91 pivoted at 92 to the carrier including Athe plunger 43,

the carrier reaches frame, and pivoted at one end to 'the rod 89, a rod 93 pivotedto the other end of the rocking lever, a rocking lever 94 pivoted atv 95to lthe carrier frame, and pivoted at one end to the rod.93, and a stud 96 on the notched bar against which one arm of the lever 94 bears looseljfwhen the gripper jaws are closed.`

It will now be seen that when the oblique f lever 85 strikes the fixed shoe 87, it is swung through the inwardly and opens the gripper jaws 52 described' mechanism. e movement of the notched rod 62 caused by the j aw-opening operation, moves the polarity switch 83 .through the rack80 and pinion 81, so that .the polarity of the current 1s 49 is caused reverse and the carrier motor to'rotate in the direction required to return thecarrier to the target station where it is arrested with the jaws 52l open.

To insure the stoppage of the carrier with its jaws exactly located in the path of the target raised by the lifting-grippers,1 protermined by a xed stop, the location of whichdetermines the location of the carrier jaws 52, means being provided for breaking the circuit through the carrier motor and stopping the operation thereof before the motion of the carrier is reversed by the spring buffer. The carrier is provided with an 'arm 97 (Fig. 6) having a striking' end face 98 and a downwardly opening notch 99. 100 repre-1 sents a slide movable in fixed guides and having a striking end face 101 (Fig. 8) opposed to the face 98, and a block or projection 102 to which is attached a plunger 103. Said plunger plays in a ixed cylinder or dash-pot 104", in which is a buiier spring 105 (Fig. 6) bearing on the plunger 103. To the outer end of the slide 100 is pivoted at 104 a detent lever 106 having. a hook adapted to enter the notch 97 .j A xed track 107 having an incline 108 is adapted to support the detent lever 106 in a raised position, as shown by full lines (Figs. 6v and 8) The spring 105 acts on the plunger 103 to normally hold the slide 100 projected against a fixed stop member109 which is so located that it coperates with the buffer spring 105 in holding the carrier jaws in their exact predetermined position.

'110 represents a circuit-breaking switch, the plunger 111 of which is engaged with a strut 112 pivoted to one arm of a lever 113. Said lever is .pivoted at 114 to 'a fixed support, and its other arm has a trundle roll 115 projecting into the path of the block or projection 102 on the slide 100. When the carrier approaches the end of its return movement from the firing station, the detent lever 106 is depressed, as shown by dotted lines (Figs. 6 and 8). The striking face of the carrier arm 97 abuts against the striking face of the slide 100 and moves the slide backwardly, thus causing the detent lever to ride up the incline 108, the hook of the de"- tent lever 106 being thus caused to engage the notch 99 in the arm 97, as shown by Fig. 6. The detent lever is held in this position by the track 10 he backward movement of the slide cau 102 to vact through the lever '113, strut and-switch plunger 111 to break the circuit through the carrier motor, so that the carrier is now moved only by its own momentum, which is graduallyV checked by the 'buffer spring 105. The spring 105 nowv rel acts and moves the slide"ai1d carrier outthe movement 1s arrested by wardly until the stop 109. The detent lever 106 is held in its raised position by a spring 119 at# pet 125 which is arran openings-being I with the strut 133 ltached at 120 to the slide the detent levers (of whichv there are two j located at opposite sides of the track 48), and is provided with a collar 123 (Fig. 8) which bears on and depresses the detent levers just after the plunger acts on the awclosing cross-bar 72.-

The target-lifting grippers, after opening and releasing the raised target, are returned to their starting position while opened, and are closed qu another used target 12, as next described. One of the sprocket-chains 'which `carry the lifting-grippers is provided with. a taplarity switch 126 (Fig. 3) located in suitable proximity to the' exposed target and to the target-lifting motor 21. One arm of the switch 126 projects into the path ,of the tapp'et 125, which acts to move the switch and change the polarity of the current through l the motor 21, and thus reverse the direction of its rotation just after the raised liftinggrippers open toprelease the raised target, the lifting-grippers being therefore moved downwardly to their starting position, and the swinging jaws of the grippers being held open by the guides 16, as shown by Flg. 3. When they grippers nearly rea-ehthe end of their downward movement, they actuate the plunger 128 (Figs. 2 and 3) `of a three-point switch, to break the circuit and stop the motor. A lever 130 (Fig. 3) pivoted at 131 to one of the guides 16, has its free'end vprojecting' into the path of one of the liftinggrippers, and is arranged to be depressed lower' end of their movement. The lever acts through a link `or strut 133 on the switchplunger 128, and moves the switch' to break the circuit. At *the same time, the ears 39 on the swinging gripper jaws vare brought into coincidence with the lower openings 135 (Fig. 3) in the guides 16, said formed to permit the ears 39 to pass through them. The swinging jaws are now closed by the springs 136 connected with the fixed and swinging ja'ws. Said springs are compressed by the opening'of the swinging jaws and act to close said jaws when the 'ears 39 -coincide with thev openings 135. The polarity switch 126 is connected of the circuit-breaking switch by jointed links 142, 143, so arranged that when the lever `130 is moved to break the circuit through the motor 21, the-p0- larity switch 126 is moved to position to change th'epolarity of the current when the circuit is again closed, so that thenext-op'- ged'to move a por on its outer side and .press it eration of the motor 21 caused by operating the three-point switch 27 at the firing station will raise the target-liftin grippers. The lifting grippers are now hel stationary a't their lowest position and opened preparatory to grasping a target. j The target magazine 13 is provided with means for feeding targets one at a time, the feed being so timed that the target being fed is controlled by the feeding means while the used target is beingraised, and before another target can be fed from the magazine, so that than one target at a time ,in position to be fired u on.

The ceding mechanismcomprises a iuted upper feed roll 146 (Figs. 3 and 4) journaled in bearings at.opposite ends of the magazine and occupying a slot in the front side of the magazine, the inner side of the roll bearing on the target 1 2 at the outer side of the pack.

Below the upper feed roll 146, is a pair of lower feed rolls 147,( between which the target passes. The rolls 147 are connected by gears 148 (Fig. 5) so that they rotate in opposite` directions. The `shaft of one of the lower rolls 147 has a gear 149 meshving with an intermediate gear 150 which meshes with a gear 151 on the shaft of the upper feed roll 146. The three feed rolls are driven from the shaft 20 through a vertical shaft 153 (Fig. 3) connected by bevel gears 154, 155, with a transverse shaft 156, having a gear 157a meshing with the gear 26 on shaft 20, and by bevel gears 157, 158, with the shaft of one of the lower feed rolls 147. The feed rolls therefore, are all driven by the motor 21, and they are so timed that while 'the lifting grippers are raising a used target, a fresh target is fed downward and there is no liability'of exposing more is released from the nip of the rolls 147, just is supported by said shelfI in such position that when the liftingguides 160 upon a hori! grippers again descend,f.the inner jaws pass j behind it and the outer jaws in closing, bear against the inner jaws, which are preferably provided with spurs 163 (Fig. 3) on which the target is impaled.

At the firing station L is a vertical chute 164 (Fig. 21) having a flaring mouth, which is arranged to receive the target released by the opening of the carrier jaws 52.. Said chute communicates with a magazine 165 for the used targets, having a hinged glazed door 166 at its front side through which the targets may be inspected, said door permitting the removal.A ofo theI targets. At `the edges of the chute are sheet metal guides having portions 167, 168 which are differently inclined andare so arranged that the 165 they gradually magazine.

lower end of a target entering the magazine 165 will be first deflected toward the back of the magazine, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 21. Said bottom has inclines 169, 170, the incline 169 being arranged to cause the lower end of a target deposited upon 1ty to move toward the lfront of the magazine, and its upper end to -swing backwardly from the path of the next target falling through the chute, as indicated by Fig. 22. As the targets accumulate in the magazine move backwardly and upwardly on the incline 1 69, and then backwardly and downwardly onthe incline 17 O until they reach the back portion of the Provision is therefore made for kee 'ing the last target at the front ofthe pac of targets dropped into the magazine.

I prefer to provide' the unused target magazine 13 with a follower adapted to pressA the pack of targets forward. Said follower which is shown by Figs. 4 and 18, comprises a gang of elongated loose horizontal rolls, 175, journaled in end bars 176 ,which are connected by a cross-bar 177.

the pack toward the front of the magazine,

the rolls175 being in rolling contact with the rear target of the pack, so that there is no frictional resistance to the forward and downward movement ofthe targets on the bottom of the magazine, which is inclined as shown by Fig. 4. VI. also prefer to provide brake shoes 180,one of which is shown by Fig. 15, said shoes being applied to the carrier wheels 54 to gradually check the momentum of the carrier when it is approaching each end of its course. The brake shoes are normally held out of contact .with the wheels, and are forced into contact therewith by Xed blocks 181, 182, (Figs. 1 and 8) located near opposite ends of the track 4 8, and having oppositely inclined bottom faces. These inclined faces are in the paths of levers 183, one of which is shown by Fig. 15, pivoted at 184 to the carrier frame and normally held by springs 185 in the raised position shown by dotted lines, said levers having trundle rolls 186 adapted to run on the said inclined faces. The levers 183 are connected with the brake shoes 180 by suitable means, such as the links 187, bell-crank levers 188, and arms 189, shown by Fig. 15, the levers 188 being pivoted at 190. When the lever roll 186 encounters either of the. blocks 181 vor 182, the levers 183 are depressed, as shown by dotted lines, and act through the described connections to press the brake shoes against the wheels. a

To the notched rod or slide' 62 is connected a, spring 62, which-tends to pull said rod in inoperative,

the motor 21, the 'polarity -tated to feed down a fresh target,

`the lifting j aws, ,and

taneous.

'to the trolley rails 47,

the direction of the arrow, (Figs. 15 and and yields to allow the rod to be moved in the opposite direction by the lever 85,- and the intermediate connections. The spring 60 is a relay or detent spring, and coperates withthe notches 63, 64,' in. holding the rod. and the polarity switch 83 in either of two positions. The lever 85 is yieldingly projected For pressed outwardly from the carrier by a spring 85a (Fig. 16). l

The track 48 may be supported inany suitable way, preferably by a beam 192. (Fig. 1) coextensive with the track and con-- nected therewith by bolts or hangers 192. The beam may be supported from3the top of a building or apartment in which the apparatus is'located. O f

Operation: A target being exposed at the station b, and the motors 21 and 49, being a shot isiired from the firing station a. The switch 27 atvthat station is then operated to close the circuitthrough switch 126 being now in position to cause rotation of said m0- tor in the direction required to lift the target. `.The motor now. operates to raise the target-lifting jaws. At `the same time the feed rolls on the target magazine 13 are rowhich drops when released by the feed i-rolls,

loosely, in the,4 path of the target-lifting ljaws, where it remains until the. ,said jaws descend to grasp 1t. The lifting jaws insert the upper end of the used target between the now open carrier jaws .52. .Before the lifting jaws reach the end of their upward movement, they strike the lever 31, which successively aotuates the. devices which open the devices' which close the carrier jaws, and the switch .which closes the circuit through thefcarrier motor 49. The opening of the lifting -jaws and\the,clos ing of the carrierl jaws areo nearly simulpolarity switch on the carrier is shifted to drive the carrier motor in the direction required to m'ove the carrier to the firing station. The switch which admits thecurrent is operated bythe upward movement of the `elevating jaws after the carrier jaws are closed on the target, and the v.carrier 1is then propelled to the firing station. 4Vlhen the carrier reaches the iringstation, the obliquely projecting lever 85 pivoted tp the carrier, strikes the iXe'd shoe or `deflector 87 at the firing station, which displaces the lever inwardly, the lever acting through the intermediate .mechanism to open the carrier jaws. The used target drops into the chute 164, which conducts it to the magazine 165. The opening of the carrier jaws shifts the polarity switch on the carrler and reversesv the lrotation of.r

49, so that the carrier im- When the carrler jaws close, the

v; reach their lowest position, 10'

it remains with Ithe jaws open'ready to receive the next used target. Just as the elevating jaws open, the tappet 125 on one of the lifting-jaw carrying chains 15, acts on the polarity switch 126 and reverses the rotation of the motor 21, so that the lifting jaws which are now open, descend to their lowest position. Just as the lifting jaws one of said jaws strikes the switch lever 130 which acts to move the three-point switch controlling the elevator motor 21 and stop the motor, and at thesame time to move the polarity switch 126, so that when the circuit is again closed at the firing station, the motor will rotate in the direction required to raise the lifting jaws. When the ears 39 on the swinging lifting jaws reach the openin 135 in the guides 16, the jaws are free toe byutheir spring on the unused target; .It w1 being started from the firing station,'acts automatically through a cycle of move--1 ments or, operations, commencing with the lifting of'a-used target from the point at which it was exposed, and terminatingautomatically with the return of the retrieving carrier to .the target station, after the retrieved target'has been delivered at the firing station, a fresh targetbeing placed in position at the target station during .the said cycle. While the reversible motors 21 and 49, may be started,- reversed, and. stopped by mechanical means, I prefer for obvious reasons to employ electrical means,

comprising the standard three-point and polarity switches above referred to. I'have not shown said motors and switches in detail, nor the electrical connections or wiring, these being'matters well understood. by practical electricians. 1 The mechanism and parts surrounding the placed target at the target station should, 'of course, be suitably protected againstin- -j y lfrom stray bullets, by a suitable guardlng structure 4which I have not represented. The track and the means coperatlng therewith for retrieving used targets maybe' omitted, and the used targets stored, or left at or near the target station, at al point near the target-exposing'holder, in case it is not desirable to retrieve the targets at the firing station, in which case a used-target magazine similar to that above described, may be located at the target station in position to `receive used targets shifted from their exposed position.

It will be seen that'each target is positively controlled during its course from tne unused target magazine to the rmg station,

"and is moved by gravity only after its release from the grippers on the earner at the firing station,`eac h target being-positively movedfrom the unused target magazine to exposed' position. at the target station,

fresh target in an exposed target station, said mechanism includinga -target grippers,

closed now be seen that the apparatus, after.-

tion to the firing station,

n 7o 1. An apparatus of the character stated,

comprising a firing station, a target station, a track between-said stations, and mechanism controlled from the firing station for transferring station to the firing station, and placinga position at the carrier movable 0n said track and having ing targets successively from the target station.A to said grippers, and means for openingthe grippers and releasing the'targets at the firing station.

a used target from the target 'neans for positively mov- 80 2. An apparatus ofithe character stated, .85

comprising a firing station, a track between said stations, and mechanism controlled from the. .firing station for placing `targets at the target station, transferring a used target fro target atthe firing station, and .placing aJ fresh Atarget in an exposedposition at the target station, said mechanism including a to .said grippers, and means for opening the 100 grippers and -releasing thektargetsat the firing station.

'L-An` apparatus of the character stated,

comprisinga firing station, aztarget station, a track nism controlled from transferring a used target from the target station to the firing Station and placing a fresh target in an exposed position .at the target station, target-lifting grippers at the target station, means for .closing said grippers on a placed target,'means for alternately raising and loweringfsaid grippers., means for opening the raised means for moving station.

4. An apparatusof the character stated, comprising a firing station, a. track between said stations, and mechanism controlled from the firing station for transferring a used target from the target stationv to the firing station and placing afresh engaging'the raised target andv target in an exposed position at the target 125 station, said mechanism including means for raising a used target from its exposed position, means forreleasing-the raised target, a carrier movable on said track and ha'vmg a; targetzstation,

it along said track to the firing m thetarget sta- '9o releasing the used Acarrier movable onvsaid'track andhaving 95 between said stations, and mecha.-

the firing station for said mechanism mcluding grippers to release the target, and 1-15 a target station, 12o

ing, and stopping .comprising a firing gripper on the raised target, and means for propelling the .carrier on said track.

5. An apparatus of the character stated, station, a target station, a track between said stations, and mechanisrn controlled from the firing stationy for transferring a used target from the target station to the firing station and placing a fresh target in an exposed position at the target station, said mechanism including target-lifting gripper-s at the target station, a reversible electric motor and means co operating therewith adapted to raiseand lower J said grippers, means being provided for closing the grippers on an exposed target when they are lowered, and for opening the grippers when they are raised, a carrier movable on said track, having a gripper adapted to engage a raised target, areversi-v ble electric motor on said carrier, adapted to propel the carrier in either direction on the track, means being provided for closing the carrier gripper on a raised target when the carrier is at the inner end of the track, and for opening said gripper when the carrier is at the outer end of the track, means for starting the carrier motor after the closing of the carrier gripper, means for reversing the carrier motor after the opening of said gripper, and means for stopping` the motor when the carrier is returned to the' inner end of the track.

6. An apparatus ofthe character stated, comprising a firing station, a target station, a track maintaining a target in an exposed position at the ring station, and operating mechanism including means for-placing a target on said support, grippers for raising a target from the support after use, -a reversible motor for raising and lowering said grippers, means being provided for starting, reversing and stopping said motor, a carrier movable on said track from station to station, means on the carrier for engaging the raised target when the carrier is at the inner end of the track, means for releasing the raised target when the carrier is at the opposite end of the track, a reversible moto'l on the carrier for propelling the latter, means being provided for starting, reversthe carrier motor, and

between said stations, a support for means controlled from the firing station for starting a cycle of movements of said operating mechanism, said movements being automatically stopped at the end of the cycle. e

7. In an apparatus of the character stated, a used target receiver comprising a chute with a flaring mouth, Aa target magazine communicating with the lower end of the chute and extending backwardly therefrom, and edge guides in the magazine adapted to deflect a descending target and locate its upper edge behind the path of a following target.

8. A target-controlling apparatus comprising a firing station, a target station, and operating mechanism controlled from the firing station and having provisions for positively moving targets successively to an exposed position at the target station, positively moving the targets successively from said position, and releasing the removed targets.

9. A target-controlling apparatus comprising a firing station, a target station, having a target magazine and a targetexposing holder, and operating mechanism controlled from the firing station and having provisions for positively moving targets successively from the magazine to the holder, positively moving the targets successivelv from the holder, and releasing the removed targets.

10.- A target-controlling apparatus comprising a firing station, a target station, having an unused-target magazine and a target-exposing holder, a used-target magazine, and operating mechanismcontrolled from the firing station and having provisions for positively moving targets successively from the unused-target magazine to the holder, positively moving the used targets successively from the holder to a position over the used-target magazine, and releasing and. removing targets when in sai position.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

. n WILLIAM I. THOMPSON.' Witnesses: l

' ANTHONY M. Lux,

GEORGIANNA F. THOMPSON. 

